Medicare can be confusing and complex, yet most of us will have to navigate it someday. In short, Medicare is the federal insurance program for people who are 65 or older, certain younger people with disabilities and people with End-Stage Renal Disease.  

Medicare has four main "Parts" that cover specific services. These are:

• Part A for hospital insurance. This is for inpatient hospital stays, care in a skilled nursing facility, hospice care and some health care services. 
• Part B for medical insurance. This covers certain doctor's services, outpatient care, medical supplies and preventative services.
• Part C aka Medicare Advantage. This is Medicare through a health care provider.
• Part D for prescription drug coverage. Part D adds prescription drug coverage to original Medicare and Medicare-related plans.

To help you navigate the journey through Medicare, AAA Western and Central New York is offering online Medicare workshops free of charge. With so many questions surrounding Medicare, our in-house agent, Elizabeth Sciria, will host the upcoming Medicare 101 webinar sessions, broken down by age categories, to answer questions for AAA members and nonmembers alike:

65 or younger? Sign up your FREE Medicare webinar:

• June 3, 2pm
• June 17, 2pm

65 or older? Sign up for your FREE Medicare webinar:

• June 4, 2pm
• June 18, 2pm

Navigating the Medicare process alone can be difficult, and it can be time consuming. By taking part in a free workshop, you're talking to someone who's AHIP (America's Health Insurance Plans) licensed, gets recertified, and licensed annually to understand Medicare plans. Unless the average consumer is doing that, they're not going to know as much as about insurance as a professional.

To learn more about Medicare, make an appointment by calling (716) 929-3643, sign up for one of AAA’s Medicare Workshops, with the links above, or email Elizabeth Sciria at esciria@nyaaa.com. For those who have more questions about Medicare, check out our FAQ section here.